Labor claims the Morrison Government’s energy policy is putting thousands of potential Tasmanian jobs at risk are rubbish, a Liberal Senator says. “Claims by federal Labor’s Julie Collins about the Battery of the Nation are complete rubbish,” Tasmanian Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam said on Tuesday. “This is just Labor scaremongering.” Ms Collins said the government dumping its National Energy Guarantee policy “threatens billions of dollars of investment and thousands of potential jobs in renewable energy in Tasmania”. “This includes the Battery of the Nation project, which has the potential to help Tasmania lead the nation in the transition to clean energy. “Scott Morrison’s decision to kill the NEG marks the complete capitulation by the new Prime Minister to the hard right Tony Abbott ideology on energy policy.” But Senator Duniam said Battery of the Nation pre-dated the NEG and remained the government’s top priority. “I have spoken personally to Federal Minister for Energy Angus Taylor, who has assured me that the Battery of the Nation initiative is still alive and well,” he said. “Price and reliability of energy supply are the government’s top priorities and the Battery of the Nation delivers both.” “The only threat to the Battery of the Nation is Labor. “They have never supported it.” Battery of the Nation involves increasing Tasmanian energy generation through pumped hydro and extra wind power capacity. That would allow more exports of power to the mainland via a mooted second interconnector cable. Supporters such as the state government say the extra power could be sold at premium prices, while extra generation and storage would increase Tasmanian energy security and help put downward pressure on prices. The pumped hydro developments are predicted to be capable of creating 3000 Tasmanian jobs.

That would allow more exports of power to the mainland via a mooted second interconnector cable.

Supporters such as the state government say the extra power could be sold at premium prices, while extra generation and storage would increase Tasmanian energy security and help put downward pressure on prices.

The pumped hydro developments are predicted to be capable of creating 3000 Tasmanian jobs.